How to make sure your next costume jewelry purchase is 'perfect'

Have you ever thought about the quality of vintage costume jewelry? There's a few ways to ensure you're getting the best value for your dollar.

First, get yourself a quality 10x jeweler's loupe. Our opinion here at Blast from the Past, is that you should always carry a loupe or magnifying glass with you, so that you can see the details that the eye can miss.

You're looking for marks, signatures and quality. Here's how. Look for...

1. Knots between beads. Pretty easy to spot anyway, but the loupe will help you recognize quality vintage costume beads and stringing techniques. Remember, if your string (or silk cord) breaks, you don't want your necklace all over the ground in pieces with a costly repair.

2. Prong set stones. These are the metal tabs that hold the stones securely in place. Be on the look out for older pieces that have glued-in stones. This was a very popular technique in costume jewelry - primarily because the designer of this jewelry (during the 1920s - 1940s) never intended the piece to be around forever. It was designed to be worn and then discarded. If you do decide you absolutely have to have a piece that uses glued-in stones, remember that these shouldn't be worn regularly because the stones could fall out.

3. Look for GF Markings. Gold filled is an absolute find. Pieces are typically marked on the back, " 1/20 12K GF." The "GF" stands for gold filled. If you're really lucky, you might find a mark that lists "1/20 14K GF". Assuming you do find a GF mark, you've found a higher quality item than gold plated pieces because by law, they must contain a minimum of 5% gold. Gold plating can be so thin as to be negligible to any gold value. GF pieces also can look better over time than gold plating. Be advised that you should do your homework on what to look for in the stamp. Our associates can help you. Counterfeiting has become very popular of late and you should learn what to look for in a genuine GF mark and a 'fake' one.

4. Quality and Condition. The loupe will also help you identify any bad soldering, poor stone replacements (glued when there should be a prong, for example) worn plating, cloudy or cracked stones, broken clasps or scratched enamel -- all of which lower the value of a vintage piece. Take your time and examine the items' condition carefully and remember these tips to save you both time and money on your next costume jewelry purchase.